September 2020

Democrats try to streamline mail balloting for their voters

DENVER (AP) — Democrats are rolling out an expanded online portal that allows people to register to vote and request a mail ballot in their state and even helps digitize their signature on their paperwork.

The updates to the Democratic National Committee’s IWillVote.com are an example of the latest way both parties have tried to adapt the mechanics of modern campaigning to the realities of voting during the pandemic.

Astronomers see possible hints of life in Venus’s clouds

(AP) - Astronomers have found a potential sign of life high in the atmosphere of neighboring Venus: hints there may be bizarre microbes living in the sulfuric acid-laden clouds of the hothouse planet.

Two telescopes in Hawaii and Chile spotted in the thick Venutian clouds the chemical signature of phosphine, a noxious gas that on Earth is only associated with life, according to a study in Monday’s journal Nature Astronomy.

Threatened tortoises released into the wild in Mississippi

(AP) - Scientists raising threatened tortoises at a Mississippi National Guard camp to give them a head start in the wild are trying something new — raising a few to sexual maturity and then releasing them.

The Nature Conservancy and the National Guard released their first seven adult-sized gopher tortoises Wednesday at Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg, where the nonprofit has a tortoise hatchery.

Perfectly preserved Ice Age cave bear found in Arctic Russia

(AP) - Reindeer herders in a Russian Arctic archipelago have found an immaculately preserved carcass of an Ice Age cave bear, researchers said Monday.

The find, revealed by the melting permafrost, was discovered on the Lyakhovsky Islands with its teeth and even its nose intact. Previously scientists only had been able to discover the bones of cave bears that became extinct 15,000 years ago.

Scientists of the North-Eastern Federal Univer sity in Yakutsk, the premier center for research into woolly mammoths and other prehistoric species, hailed the find as groundbreaking.

Average US gas price edges up 2 pennies to $2.26 per gallon

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline edged up about 2 cents over the past three weeks to $2.26 per gallon.

That’s 37 cents below the average pump price from a year ago.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey says Sunday that slipping crude oil prices could mean gas prices will start to fall in coming weeks.

Nationwide, the highest average price for regular-grade gas is in San Francisco at $3.38 per gallon. The lowest average is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at $1.80 per gallon.

Family Foods to Fuel Education

Full days of learning and educational growth, whether taking place in the classroom or at home, require fi lling breakfasts, snacks and family dinners. Help fuel your loved ones and students with tasty recipes that cover everything from morning meals to nighttime treats.

Start the day strong with Pastry Brunch Cups perfect for separating into appropriate servings. Serve up a comforting meal in the evening like Cheesy Baked Mushroom Chicken then cap off the night with Homemade Oatmeal Creme Cookies that can also be enjoyed as a daytime snack.

Bite-Sized Breakfast

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Appetizer-sized portions and small bites of all sorts arc ideal for breakfast before a day of schooling, and these Pastry Brunch Cups are perfect for a quick morning snack. Try baking a batch and separating into appropriate serving sizes for a simple way to meal prep heading into a new week.

Find more breakfast recipes at Culinary.net.

Pastry Brunch Cups

2 tablespoons bntter

2 tablespoons Hour

1 1/2 cups milk

l cup shredded Swiss cheese

Officials: Electrical damage requires rebuild

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Officials say the level of damage experienced from Hurricane Laura warrants not a restoration, but a complete rebuild.

District 37 State Representative Troy Romero said he recently met with officials from Entergy, who shared the company’s restoration plan for Southwest Louisiana.

“I spent the afternoon with Entergy Louisiana’s President and CEO Phillip May and Vice President of Public Affairs Jody Montelaro,” he said. “The level of damage experienced is not a restoration — it is a rebuild.”

Mosquitoes causing problems for livestock

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An increase in mosquitoes following Hurricane Laura is causing problems for livestock owners.

“What we are seeing are swarms of mosquitoes that are preying on exhausted and stressed livestock,” said Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M.

“While parishes are spraying to mitigate the problem, I also urge livestock owners to spray their pastures or use products that can be applied to the animals.”

Building closed to public but COA services still available

The Jeff Davis Parish Council on Aging is still not open to the public during Phase 3 of COVID-related reopening, but several services are remain available.

“It’s been hard for us and the seniors who visit our center, because we all look forward to the activities and socializing that took place each day,” said COA Executive Director Helen Langley. “We were hoping Phase 3 would allow us to resume our exercise program, meals and bingo, but we learned that can’t happen yet.”